In today's fast-paced job market, learners are constantly seeking ways to stand out and advance their careers. Unsurprisingly, digital credentials are becoming increasingly valuable for learners to showcase skills and achievements. Yet, even with the market and learner demand for digital credentials, we’ve found that there’s still a disconnect between learners’ understanding and the true value of digital credentials — a disconnect that we (both issuers and technology partners) need to help close.
The Rising Value of Digital Credentials
Recent data paints a compelling picture of the growing importance of digital credentials. The 2024 State of Credentialing report found that 96% of learners who earned a digital credential consider it valuable for their career, and 78% believe it increases their chances of getting a job offer.
Moreover, Jobs for the Future (JFF) found that about 24% of job seekers have already used a digital credential at least once for a job application process. Of those, almost 9 in 10 users say that including them in their applications has been helpful to their job search. It’s never been more apparent that learners highly value digital credentials for career advancement.
However, the 2024 State of Credentialing report also discovered that while digital credentials are preferred by learners (over paper or PDF credentials), it wasn’t by a wide margin. This is despite the fact that once we dug into what attributes of credentials are most important to learners, we discovered they strongly prefer features only digital credentials provide.
Given this gap in understanding, let’s explore the value that digital credentials provide your learners and how you can communicate these benefits effectively.
7 Digital Credential Benefits for Learners
1. They provide instant recognition and rewards
According to ETS’ 2024 Human Progress Report, learners report that the most prominent obstacle hindering them from participating in upskilling or reskilling activities is unclear personal rewards, only behind a lack of financial resources. The report states, “This points to a need to clarify and standardize rewards, with solutions such as verified credentialing.”
In a world where immediate gratification is the norm, digital credentials provide clear, immediate recognition. They're issued instantly, eliminating the wait time of receiving paper credentials and allowing learners to use them immediately.
2. They’re accessible from anywhere at any time
Gone are the days of rifling through drawers for that important certificate. Digital credentials are securely stored online (reducing the risk of losing them) and accessible by learners anytime, anywhere.
They can also be added to a digital credential wallet alongside other earned credentials to help learners manage them all in one place and communicate the totality of their skills and abilities — something learners are asking for. According to a recent JFF survey, three out of four job seekers state that a digital wallet would be helpful with their job search.
3. They’re easily shareable online
In today's digital-first job market, the ability to share and showcase your skills is as crucial as the skills themselves. By sharing digital credentials, learners demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and ensure their achievements are seen by the right people at the right time — turning their credentials into a significant career advantage in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Digital credentials are designed for today’s digital and social media age. With one click, learners can easily share digital credentials on social media, websites, email embedding, digital wallets, resumes, internal work channels, and more. They can also add them to their LinkedIn “Licenses and Certifications” section to showcase their knowledge and achievements and make themselves more discoverable.
The ease of sharing isn't just convenient – it's career-changing. Take it from Michael DeWolfe, a Penn State University student, about earning digital badges from McGraw Hill’s online training and assessment platform, SIMnet. “I have all my SIMnet badges on LinkedIn and my resume. So, in almost every interview, someone says, ‘Oh, I see these credentials on your resume. Can you talk a little bit more about that?’ I’m not just saying that I have Excel skills; I’m proving them through the badges.”
4. They show a more complete picture of learner achievement
Unlike paper or PDF credentials that often can only show the recipient and issuer name and course or achievement, digital credentials provide additional context and a higher-resolution snapshot of a learner’s skills and achievements. They include metadata and interactive elements like an overview of the acquired skill, evidence of what it took to complete the credential, and criteria used to assess the skill — allowing employers to dive deeper into what the learner has learned and how they’ve demonstrated their competency.
As Penn State University Assistant Teaching Professor of Economics Frank Sorokach points out, “Employers want to know what a badge tells them — about the student’s competency, the quality of the education they received, and the skills they have proven they have.”
Platforms like Accredible dynamically populate program details, gained skills, earning criteria, relevant learner evidence, and more on a per-credential and -email basis.
5. They’re verifiable and protected against fraud
In an era of increasing credential fraud, digital credentials offer peace of mind. Digital credentials include security features like encryption and blockchain, significantly reducing the risk of forgery compared to paper credentials. Employers and educational institutions can quickly verify digital credentials, enhancing the credibility and trustworthiness of the learner’s qualifications.
6. They’re environmentally friendly and permanent
Digital credentials offer a green alternative to traditional paper certificates for the environmentally conscious learner, contributing to a lower carbon footprint.
Also, unlike traditional paper certificates or centralized digital records, digital credentials are designed to be self-sovereign and enduring. This means that even if the issuing institution ceases operations (as MacMurray College did in 2020), learners retain full control and access to their earned credentials.
7. Employers value them
The value of digital credentials extends beyond the learner. Research from Collegis Education and UPCEA indicates that an overwhelming 95% of employers state a resume listing microcredentials benefited the candidate, and over 73% reported hires with alternative credentials helped their organization fill an existing skill gap and improve their workforce. Additionally, over half believe this is a viable solution for conveying employee competency.
Communicating the Value to Learners
As the job market evolves, digital credentials are becoming an increasingly valuable asset in a learner's career toolkit. However, for credential issuers, effectively conveying these benefits is crucial. Here are some strategies:
- Highlight immediate value: Emphasize the instant issuance and usability of digital credentials.
- Showcase versatility: Demonstrate the various platforms and methods for sharing credentials.
- Provide usage guidance: Offer tips on how to effectively incorporate digital credentials into job applications and professional profiles.
- Illustrate career impact: Share success stories and statistics on how digital credentials have helped learners advance their careers.
- Explain enhanced credibility: Detail the security features and verification process that make digital credentials trustworthy.
By clearly communicating these benefits, you can help learners understand the full potential of their digital achievements — increasing learner satisfaction and market value and, with it, your program’s value.
Remember, in a world where skills and knowledge are constantly changing, digital credentials offer a dynamic, secure, and efficient way to showcase ongoing learning and development. By embracing and promoting these digital assets, learners and credential issuers can stay ahead in the competitive landscape of modern careers.
